Propeller



Aug. 20, 194 1.. a. WILLIAMS PROPELLER Filed July 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 0 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 20, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims;

This invention relates to new and improved means for propelling aeroplanes and other vehicles, one of the objects being to provide a novel arrangement of propeller blades shiftable about radial axis at the will of the operator and located within a compression chamber into which the blades operate to suck the air and compress it so that it will be expelled under high pressure through an outlet disposed oppositely to the inlet.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts herein- 15 after more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

20 In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus, the blades and their 25 shaft being shown in elevation.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 1.

30 Figure 5 is an enlarged section on line 5-5,

Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section on line 6-45, Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a section on line 1-1, Figure 1.

35 Referring to the figures by characters of reference, I designates a suitable base having standards 2 in which is journalled a tubular shaft 3 adapted to receive motion through any suitable mechanism. For example a sprocket 4 can be secured to one end of the shaft and driven by a chain 5. This sprocket and chain can be located in a suitable housing 6 provided therefor, access to the shaft and sprocket being attainable through an opening which is normally closed by a cover plate 1.

Shaft 3 is tubular and has longitudinal slots 8 through which extend connecting pins 9 radiating from a shank l mounted to slide within the shaft 3.

50 A split ring is mounted on shaft 3 and is engaged by the pins 9. This ring ll extends between opposed pairs of rollers l2 extending toward each other from opposed arms of the forked end l3 of a lever l4. This lever is fulcrumed 55 as at l and is adapted to be held in any position to which it might be adjusted, by means of a toothed segment l6 and a pawl I'I. Thus it will be noted that by swinging the lever 14 on its fulcrum the pairs of rollers l2 will thrust on the revolving ring H and cause it to shift along shaft 3 and carry the shank l0 therewith without interfering with the rotation of the shaft.

Propeller blades radiate from the shaft 3 as indicated at l8 and are regularly spaced annularly about the shaft. Each of these blades has a bearing stud l9 seated in the shaft 3 and also has a laterally extended arm 20 connected to a pin 2| by a link 20. These pins are mounted to slide within slot 22 in shaft 3, and are extended from shank l0.

Obviously when the shank I0 is shifted longitudinally in one direction or the other, the arms will be shifted simultaneously so that all of the blades l8 will be simultaneously turned in the 20 same direction and the same distance. Thus the displacement of air by the blades can be regulated at the will of the operator.

Located back of each of the blades 3 and spaced therefrom are supplemental blades 23. These blades are joined to the blades l8 by tiebolts 24 and suitable spacing means not shown. The outer ends of the blades 23 project beyond the corresponding ends of the blades I8 but the inner ends of blades 23 terminate at points spaced from the shaft 3. Blades 23 are pitched at the same angle as the blades l8 to which they are joined. The outer ends of blades I8 are connected by a hoop 25 to which they are pivotally attached and another hoop 26 pivotally engaged by the outer ends of the blades 23. As the blades 23 project outwardly beyond the ends of the blades 25, the two hoops are not located side by side and, therefore, when blades l8 are rotated about their individual radial axes and the blades 23 caused to swing about said axes, one hoop will not come against the other. Consequently there is always a clearance between the two hoops no matter to what position the blades may be adjusted and air is thus free to flow between the The propeller blades are located within a housing 21 provided at one side with an inlet 28 and at its opposite side with an outlet 29. The inlet and outlet are concentric with shaft 3 and each is surrounded by an outwardly extended frustoconical flue 30 which, in turn, contains concentric frusto-conical battles 3| spaced apart so as to provide inwardly flared concentric air passages. Screens 32 can be located at'the outer ends of the flues 30 to prevent the admission of foreign matter.

In operation the shaft 3 is rotated at high speed and the action of the blades l8 and 23 is such as to draw the air through the inlet and expel it through the outlet, the force thus exerted being sufiicient to propel the vehicle to which the propellers are connected. The propellers will build up a compression within the housing 2'! so that the air will be propelled from the outlet under this increased pressure and thereby accelerate propulsion.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus of the class described including a stationary housing having an inlet and an outlet oppositely disposed, a shaft extending through the inlet and the outlet and concentric therewith, means for driving the shaft, propeller blades radiating from the shaft and within the housing and mounted for rotation about their individual longitudinal axes, means carried by the shaft and operable independently of the rotation of the shaft for simultaneously rotating the blades about their individual longitudinal axis, a hoop con necting the outer ends of said blades and pivotally engaged thereby, supplemental blades back of and parallel with the propeller blades and spaced therefrom, said supplemental blades and propeller blades being fixedly connected for movement together, and a hoop connecting the outer ends of the supplemental blades, said supplemental blades being extended outwardly beyond the outer ends of the propeller blades.

2. Apparatus of the class described including a stationary housing having an inlet and an outlet oppositely disposed, a shaft extending through the inlet and outlet and concentric therewith, means for driving the shaft, propeller blades radiating from the shaft and within the housing and mounted for rotation about their individual longitudinal axes, means carried by the shaft and operable independently of the rotation of the shaft for simultaneously rotating the blades about their individual longitudinal axis, a hoop connecting the outer ends of said blades and pivotally engaged thereby, supplemental blades back of and parallel with the propeller blades and spaced therefrom, said supplemental blades and propeller blades being fixedly connected for movement together, and a hoop connecting the outer ends of the supplemental blades, said supplemental blades being extended outwardly beyond the outer ends of the propeller blades, and inwardly flared concentric bafiles within the inlet and outlet and cooperating to provide inwardly flared concentric air passages opening into the housing.

,LEE BARTON WILLIAMS. 

